Rotary expanding fountain brush



June 13, 1939. B. s. REYNOLDS 2,152,577

ROTARY EXPANDING FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed July 21, 1956 v LIl Bennie 5. Re nolds NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 13, 1939 UNITEn stares PATENT 4Fries Y zliszvv" Y. l f i l ROTARY EXPANDING FOUNTAIN BRUSH Bennie S. Reynolds, Wichita. Falls, Tex., assigner y l cf one-third to Harry P. Smith and vone-third tc Tom A. Jones, both ofT Wichita Falls, Tex. Application 1936,Serial No.y91,73'1 l s claims. (o1. J-140414) Y This invention relates to a rotary expanding fountain brush for cleaning the interior of pipes,

etc.

The primary object ofthe invention isto pro- 5 vide a brush which may be attached to a hose or pipe and inserted into a pipe or the like' to clean or scour the interior thereof. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a brush that has an expansible brush member 1o that will expand by centrifugal'forceupon rotation thereof so as to obtain an even pressure throughout, add pressure to the friction of the brush and increase its efiiciency inV scouring the inside of the pipe.

l5 AAnother object isl to provide a brush, the bristles of which are so shaped as to presenta uniform pressure when the brush is expanded to its working position.

With the foregoing objects in mind, it will be readily appreciated that the brush has great `value in cleaning pipesthat are used forv transmitting fluids, such as milk and the like.

Referring to the drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views:-

Fig. 1 shows a central longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of the brush with parts broken away to show construction.

Fig` 2 is a cross-section taken through the inlet end of the casting of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken through the outlet end of said casting of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the brush.

In the drawing the numeral 6 designates a hose, and 'l a casting in which center member 'la is formed for use as a bearing. Holes 8 are formed in this casting around the center thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. A screw member or turbine 9 is formed around shaft l0 within housing l I, one

) end of which is journaled in the center member 'Ia while the other end has a threaded connection at I2 with a pipe or tube I3 having holes I4 disposed therein within the housing I I for admission of Water into the interior of the pipe. A pin I5 4;, limits end play of shaft I0 relative to the housing. An end member It closes the outer end of housing II to prevent escape of fluid and forms a bearing member for pipe I3. Housing II is threadedly connected to end members 'I and I6 5) which are readily removable for the replacement of brushes, to make repairs or for any necessary purpose. A pivot I'I passing through pipe I3 connects the inner ends of expansible brush,

heads I8 to the pipe. Bristles I9 are inset in the 5 heads I8 preferably to form a brush of frustoconicalshape.' Pipe I3 is provided with .a plu ralityof perfo'rati'ons V2l! whilethe heads I8 also have a multiplicity of perforations 2 I intermedi'- ate the bristles, providing outlets for ow of water or fluid from' pipe i3 to the bristles. The brush heads are connected at their outer ends to the pipe I3 by springs 22 to draw themr toward each other normally tending to hold the brush con# tracted, thus permitting easy initial insertion. The outer ends of the' brush heads are provided 10 with ears v23VV having elongated guideslotsltherein, a pin 24 passing through said slots, which allows the brush heads to be thrown outward-or spread by centrifugal action to a desired limit. An eye 25 is provided in the closed endof pipe-I3 15 to which the inner ends ofthe springs are fan-f chored. Y, From the foregoing description it will bev understood that the form of the brush and its construction facilitates its admission into a pipe in a collapsed or contracted condition, and that upon' the flow of water or other fluid under,k pressure through the hose '6 into the housing II the impeller 9 will be operated to rapidly rotate the brush, whereby through the action of centrifugal force the brush will be expanded within the pipe to secure an even and increased pressure of the brush bristles on the surfaces of the pipe to be cleaned or scoured. The fluid supplied to the housing I I to operate the impeller 9 iiows through 30 the openings I4 into the hollow brush shaft and thence discharges through the openings 20 and 2| into the spaces between the brush bristles, thus keeping such bristles constantly saturated with the iiuid and also furnishing a supply of fluid to the interior of the pipe being cleaned for the cleansing or scouring action. Any sort of scouring or cleaning material may be initially supplied to the pipe or the iiuid supplied under pressure for the brush driving and cleaning action may 40 have natural cleansing properties or be admixed with cleansing agents of any desired kind. rThe operation of the brush within the pipe, into which it may be moved backwardly or forwardly for the cleansing action, ensures the thorough cleansing of the pipe within a minimum period of time.

Whilethe structure shown for purposes of exemplication may constitute a preferred embodiment, it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a fluid operated rotary brush, a rotatable hollow shaft, a brush carried Vby the hollow shaft and comprising outwardly and inwardly movable members pivotally connected at their inner ends to said shaft and slidably connected at their outer ends to each other, said members being movable outwardly under centrifugal force generated by the shaft in its rotations, and resilient means connected to the outer ends of the brush members for normally holding them in contracted condition, the hollow shaft having ports therein.

2. A fountain brush comprising a hollow shaft, and brushing members extending along said shaft and pivoted coaxially with each rother to said shaft and carrying brushing means, said shaft being perforated approximately throughout the length of said brushing members to supply liquid to said brushing means.

3. A fountain brush comprising ahollow shaft, brushing members carrying brushing means and extending along said shaft and pivoted coaxially with each other to said shaft, and means for limiting the outward swinging motion of said members about said pivot, said shaft being perforated approximately throughout the length of said brushing members to supply liquid to said brushing means.

4. A fountain brush comprising a hollow shaft, brushing members carrying brushing means and extending along said shaft and pivoted coaxially with each other to said shaft at the inner ends of said members, and` lost-motion means at the outer ends of said members for limiting the outward swinging motion of said members about said pivot, said shaft being perforated approximately throughout the length of said brushing members to supply liquid to said brushing means.

5. A fountain brush comprising a hollow shaft,

brushing members carrying brushing means and extending along said shaft and pivoted coaxially with each other to said shaft at the inner ends of said members and at a point spaced inwardly from the outer end of said shaft, and brushing means carried by said members and arranged approximately in conical shape to assume an approximately cylindrical shape upon expansion of said members, said shaft being perforated approximately throughout the length of said b-rushing members to supply liquid to said brushing means.

6. A fountain brush comprising a hollow shaft, brushing members of approximately cylindrical shape extending along and enclosing said shaft, means pivotally connecting the inner ends of said members with the shaft, means connecting the outer endsof the members for limiting the expanding action thereof about the pivot means, and resilient means connected with theV outer ends of said members tending to draw said members inwardly.

7. A fountain brush comprising a hollow shaft, .i

brushing members of approximately cylindrical shape extending along and enclosing said shaft, means pivotally connecting the inner ends of said members with the shaft, means connecting the outer ends of the members for limiting the expanding action thereof about the pivot means, resilient means connecting the outer ends of said members with the shaft, said shaft having means for supplying liquid into said members, and said members having perforations therein for outward passage of the liquid therethrough.

8. A fountain brush comprising a tubular perforated support, cylindrical brushing members telescoped over the perforated portion of said support and pivoted thereto and individually swingable outwardly relative thereto, said members having rubbing means distributed over the surfaces thereof, said members having radial liquid perforations therein between said rubbing means and distributed over the surfaces of said members, and means for supplying liquid into said support.

BENNIE S. REYNOLDS. 

